3D Printer
3D Printer By Aaron Zhao, Guide by Mr. Duff 'Overview' 3D (three-dimensional) printer is a tool that you can make a 3D solid object of any shapes. 'How it works?' The normal printer can only print objects in 2D (two dimensions). The 2D are commonly called length(X) and width(Y). Both directions lie in the same layer, so we only can print things that in the same layer such as the text and images (F1.1). Now the 3D printer adds another direction called height (Z). (F1.2) 3D printing is achieved by using an additive process, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes, and make a 3D item. (F1.3) - - - - - 'Main sub components' The parts you need for 3D printer depends on the type. Here is an example of the extrusion (warm plastic) type. The Frame A frame is used for holding the machine together. The frames primary purpose and most important design is it must be solid. As the head moves, the machine will shake, and if the frame is wobbly, then accuracy suffers and it will eventually break. Head movement mechanics The head must be able to move in all three spatial directions, typically X, Y and Z. It does not matter if the head or the bed moves. If the bed moves, though, the frame needs to be doubled the width/length. X and Y are horizontal movements and Z is the height. (Stepper) Motors A 3D printer needs at least four motors: three for the spatial movement, and one for the extruder. The print head/extruder The “print head” extrudes the warm plastic, or something else. The plastic extruder parts are: A motor to push the raw material, a chamber/nozzle, a heating coil, a temperature sensor, and, something to hold it all together. Electronics There will be “computer” or “controller” that controls the whole printing process. The electronics component is two parts; the controller itself and the electronics converting the controller’s relatively weak electrical signals into powerful ones to drive the motors. Lastly, not to forget, power supplies for all. Controller For example, an Arduino board...... Interface circuitry The TTL signals need to be boosted so they can drive the motors. After power up, the machine must be able to calibrate its position by moving to start point, where switches stop. 'How it connects to other of a computer?' U'''SB cables, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, whatever you use for connecting normal printer. '''A program for 3D printing. *For example, Photoshop CS6 can make a 3D model. Step 1: Take a photo of your pawn with a white background. - - - - Step 2: Open 3D panel, Source is Selected Layer , and method is 3D Extrusion. Click the Create. Step 3: The pawn will like the object in (F1.5). Now open Properties panel, you can see five icons. You should click the second one (Deform settings), and set Extrusion Depth to zero.(F1.6) - - - - - - - - - Step 4: Move to the bottom of Properties panel. Select the Bend button, and type in 360° at Horizontal Angle(x).(F1.7) - - - - - - - - Step 5: Set the axis Change the Deformation Axis, which is at the top of the Properties panel. I suggest to choose center left marker.(F1.8) - - - - - Step 6: Click forth icon at the top (Coordinates pane), and change the X, Y, and Z angles to 0.(F1.9) - - - - - Step 7: Export your design by clicking on the menu at top right, and choose Export 3D Layer. Then choose type : Wavefront OBJ, and click OK.(F2.0) - - - - - - Step 8: Get slicing This is to translate the OBJ file for 3D printer. There are some programs can help you, for example Cura.(F2.1) - - - - - Step 9: You can print it! *PS: Here is a list of program: Google SketchUp, 3DCrafter, 3Dtin, Anim8or, Art of Illusion, Blender, BRL-CAD , Creo ,Elements/Direct , DrawPlus Starter Edition, FreeCAD ,GLC Player, LeoCAD, Netfabb Studio Basic,K-3D,OpenSCAD,Tinkercad,Wings 3 D. What companies manufactures it and how much does it sells for? A lot of companies manufactures 3D printers, for example Hewlett-Packard Company - - - - (NYSE:HPQ) and 3D Systems Corp. (NASDAQ:DDD) Printer Price 3D printers used to be very expensive. A 3D printer usually cost more than ten-thousand dollars before 2000. As the CPU become much cheaper and faster, the price of 3D printers went down. Now you can spend only several thousands of dollars, and then you can get your own 3D printer.(F2.2) - - - - - - - - - - Material Price Printing materials are pretty cheap by comparing with printers' price. - - - - - - - - - - Future developments for 3D printer As the time goes by, 3D printer becomes more and more important in manufacturing. 3D printer now is the most useful tool in creating prototypes of products. As for automotive and toy industries, 3D printers will be used in producing main parts and finished products. However, 3D printer will be much more powerful than you thought, here is a list of its future developments. Food: We can print anything that can store in liquid or powder form such as chocolates, in other words, we can print a meal by using food material that in liquid or powder form.(F2.3) " Continuing with the carb-heavy theme, we next printed out corn-based noodles in the shape of our initials. They emerged from the nozzle in little squiggles, looking like a plateful of tiny beige Slinkies. They tasted like a more delicate version of angel-hair pasta. "(JACOBS, A J. "Dinner Is Printed." The New York Times 21 Sept. 2013'' [Sunday Review'' ''|The Opinion Pages ]'' . Web. 8 Dec. 2013. .)' - - - - - - - - - 3D-printed sugar cubes. (Photo courtesy of Ernestine Fu) '''Medicine' : For now 3D printer already can print simple soft-tissue organ like ears(F2.5), fingers, bone(F2.6) or skin. Can you imagine? In the future when you get scratch, 3D printer can treat your skin by printing , using your own cells as material. ''' - - - - - - - '''Military : 3D printer can print everything, so why don't you print a gun? As you can see in the Figure2.7 and figure2.8, 3D printer has already print some kinds of guns. This smart guys redesign the guns, and made them could be easily printed by 3D printer. If you want to see the detail, click here Shooting(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5bN5kB920U&safe=active) Plastic Gun Design(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoPVe7MiY1w&safe=active) - - - - - First 3D-printed gun. (Photo courtesy of Michael Thad Carter) Electronics :Designing and 3D printing electronics will be common. A team of researchers from Harvard University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has already print tiny batteries by using a 3D printer. The batteries can provide power insect-sized robots and hundreds of other tiny devices.F2.9 - - - - - - - - In the past, large-scale, complex, and expensive machine were required when producing beautiful pieces. "Jewelers will abandon traditional manufacturing processes and use 3D printing to create custom, limited-edition chains and necklaces. " Ehrlich, Thomas, and Ernestine Fu. Our Future With 3D Printers: 7 Disrupted Industries. N.p., 29 Sept. 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . - - - - - - - - Goldplated stainless steel bracelet by MCODEjewellery. (Photo courtesy of MCODEjewellery) Toys : If you have a 3D printer at home, then you do not need to go out and buy your kids toys. The only thing you need to do is download the toy's design from internet, and print it."Inexpensive consumer 3D printers at least 10 times cheaper than ones that exist today and open-source 3D design will change the way children play. Children will download 3D design files for the toys they want, modify and customize them as they wish, and then 3D manufacture them in their homes." Ehrlich, Thomas, and Ernestine Fu. Our Future With 3D Printers: 7 Disrupted Industries. N.p., 29 Sept. 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . - - - - - - - - - - - Personalized Star Trek figurines with your face are currently available for purchase. (Photo courtesy of Ernestine Fu) Automotive : Cars now can be print by 3D printer. "Bentley is one company that has already demonstrated the feasibility of using 3D printing for small, complex parts. Motorcyclists and bikers will also be able to order their own customized helmets that are printed to fit their individual head size and structure." Ehrlich, Thomas, and Ernestine Fu. Our Future With 3D Printers: 7 Disrupted Industries. N.p., 29 Sept. 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. . - - - - - - - - 3D-printed three-wheel, two-passenger vehicle. (Photo courtesy of Sara Payne) Space industry: As we all know that governments spend a huge number of money in sending tools and supplies to space. Now we can bring a big-enough 3D Printer to space. Then every year we only need to send print material to space, because we can print everything whatever we want using 3D printer. This should be much easier than sending so many different staffs each year. - - - - - - - - - In the future, we might only need to buy a 3D printer and different materials, because a 3D printer can print everything, food, clothes, computers and even a new 3D printer. If I were building my own computer system I will choose a MakerBot Replicator 2X, because this kind of 3D Printer could print high quality items, and it also isn't extremely expensive. (http://store.makerbot.com/replicator2x) 'Quiz:' 1) What are the differences between 2D printers' product(normal printer) and 3D printers' product? 2) We need at least ____ motors in a extrusion (warm plastic) type 3D printer. 3) Can 3Dprinter print metal objects? (yes/no) 4) Can 3Dprinter print food? (yes/no) 5) Give a example that 3D printer can print. 6) Can 3D printer print a fake ear?(Y/N) 7) Can a 3D printer print a completely gun at once?(Y/N) 8) Can a 3D printer print liquid? (Y/N) 9) Can a 3D printer print a micro battery? (Y/N) 10) Can a 3D printer print gases? (Y/N) answers: 1. 2D one just has 1 layer, 3D one has more than 1 layer, they are 3D 2. 4 3. yes 4. yes 5.box 6. yes 7. yes 8. no 9. yes 10. no